The present invention relates to improvements in a double bearing type reel for fishing in which a fishing line is wound round a spool rotatably supported between side plates of a reel body.
Concerning a conventional double bearing type reel for fishing in which a fishing line is wound round a spool rotatably supported between side plates of a reel body, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 5-60271, one of the side plates is detachably fixed to a frame, and a bearing member to rotatably support the spool is fixed to the side plate with a plurality of screws.
Also, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication Nos. 62-204477 and 4-41265, a bearing member is fixed to the side plate from the outside or the inside with a plurality of screws.
Since the bearing member and the cover are fixed to the side plates with the plurality of screws as described above, the work efficiency is low, and the cost is raised. Since the screws are exposed outside, when the reel for fishing is used in a severe environment in which sea water or fresh water tends to adhere to the reel, the screws tend to corrode and the beauty of the reel is spoilt.
In a conventional double bearing type reel body for fishing, material and thickness of the members to compose the reel are determined in accordance with the use of the reel. When a reel is used for fishing to catch fish of a large size, these members are made of metal. When a reel is used for fishing to catch fish of an intermediate or small size, these members are made of resin so that the cost and the weight can be reduced.
When resin is used for the material of members to compose the reel, the weight of the reel can be reduced and the operation property can be enhanced, however, mechanical strength of the members made of resin is not sufficiently high. Especially, mechanical strength of the side plates to support the drive member is not sufficiently high, and dimensions of the side plates can not be maintained sufficiently high when a heavy load is applied to the reel.
Concerning the surface treatment, coating is conducted on the reel, however, when the reel is coated with coating material, the reel can not look high-class.
When the members to compose the reel are made of aluminum, the treatment of alumite is generally conducted on the surfaces of the members. However, in the case of material of high mechanical strength, it is impossible to provide a good appearance of alumite. Therefore, the members are subjected to coating. Accordingly, the same problems as those described above are caused on the appearance of coated surfaces.
In order to enhance the mechanical strength of both materials of resin and aluminum, the thickness of a portion, the mechanical strength of which must be high, is increased so that the portion can be reinforced. However, when the thickness is partially increased, the problems of shrinkage and weld are caused in the process of molding, and further the thickness which has been partially increased restricts designing when the reel is designed compact.
Concerning a handle shaft of the conventional double bearing type reel, at one end of which a handle is attached to drive a spool rotatably supported between the side plates of a reel body, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 6-29027 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 5-53474, the handle shaft is rotatably supported by one of the side plates of the reel while the handle shaft is prevented from coming off in the axial direction.
According to the structure disclosed in the above utility model publication, the handle shaft is prevented from coming off in such a manner that an end surface of the base portion of the handle shaft is capable of coming into contact with a sheet-shaped metallic washer on the inside plate of the reel body. Due to the above structure, an intense play is caused in the axial direction of the handle shaft by the dimensional tolerance of parts and the fluctuation of dimensions. Therefore, the drive gear mounted on the handle shaft can not be stably meshed with the pinion. As a result, the rotational performance becomes unstable, and further the durability of the drive mechanism is deteriorated.
The conventional fishing reel is further disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 63-107174 and Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 61-18682.
By a braking device, a braking force is given to a spool which is rotatably supported between the side plates of a reel for fishing, and an operation adjustment knob to adjust the braking force is mounted on a handle shaft. In the operation adjustment knob, there are provided a plurality of arms which are extending in the radial direction at regular intervals.
In this connection, when a braking force is adjusted in this braking device, the adjustment knob is turned or reversed by a thumb or forefinger of a fisherman so that the adjustment knob can be fastened or unfastened. In this way, an intensity of the braking force given to the spool is adjusted in accordance with the -circumstances of fishing.
Since the thickness of the arm of the operation adjustment knob is uniform, that is, the dimension of the arm of the operation adjustment knob in the axial direction of the handle shaft is uniform, a fisherman feels a pain when he operates the knob with his finger. Therefore, it is impossible for him to enjoy fishing comfortably. In this type arm, there is provided an expanding section in the circumferential direction of the arm. Accordingly, when the fisherman conducts a rotational operation, his finger is caught by the expanding section of the arm, and it is impossible for him to conduct a rotational operation smoothly and quickly.